Cryphaea contains 30 species distributed in the tropical highlands and extending somewhat into temperate regions; 12 species in the Neotropics. Low to more commonly high montane forest in the tropicalAndes; typically on trunks or branches of trees and shrubs, rarely on rocks. The genus is characterized by the typically epiphytic, rarely saxicolous, erect habit, the several to somewhat numerous sporophytes borne laterally on very short branches, the broadly ovoid to narrowly ellipsoid capsule that appears sessile, papillose exostome teeth, rarely smooth at extreme base, and unicellular spores. Treatment adapted from the world revision by Rao (2001a, b).